UFC: Dan Hooker keen to welcome Michael Chandler – and thinks Khabib beats Justin Gaethje
- Kiwi targets fight with former Bellator champ – who is on standby for the UFC 254 main event – in November or December
- No 4-ranked Hooker picking lightweight champ Nurmagomedov to retain title on Fight Island next month
The UFC‘s marquee acquisition of former Bellator champion Michael Chandler earlier this month has sent ripples through the promotion’s lightweight division.
The 34-year-old American (21-5) has long been considered one of the world‘s best 155-pound fighters and a jewel that has been glaring in its absence from the UFC crown.
The esteem in which he‘s held by the UFC brass has instantly been made clear, with Chandler immediately named as the injury replacement for next month’s mouth-watering championship showdown between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Justin Gaethje at UFC 254.
But one of the loudest voices to call for the opportunity to welcome Chandler to the UFC has come from No 4 ranked Dan Hooker.
“I‘m more than happy to put my hand up to fight Michael Chandler,” Hooker told SCMP MMA. “Especially with the amount of stock that the UFC have put into him. He‘s the standby for the world title shot, that’s how much they believe in that guy.”
The New Zealander last fought in June, when he pushed Dustin Poirier to the limit in a five-round instant classic that’s a lock as one of the leading candidates for 2020’s “Fight of the Year”.
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The 30-year-old Hooker has earned a deserved reputation for such action-packed, crowd-pleasers, and the possibility of a clash against another renowned show-stopper in Chandler seems a sure-fire recipe for warfare.
Chandler leaves Bellator on a two-fight win streak, fresh off a first-round demolition of former UFC lightweight champion Benson Henderson last month. Given Chandler will be in – or at least, in the proximity of – fight shape means the opportunity to put together a bout before the end of the year is well within reason.
“He'll be waiting around for Khabib v Gaethje to play out in October,” Hooker said. He’ll be ready for that, so he’ll be ready to fight. So we can put something together late November or December.”
As far as that blockbuster UFC 254 main event fight goes, Hooker can only see one winner.
“I think Khabib [wins]. He’s just too much,” he said.
“I don‘t think Gaethje has fought an opponent like that … that’s going to just run him down and use his wrestling, so I’m picking Khabib.”
